Previously, blanks having a predetermined desired configuration and associated scrap pieces have been cut from a web of a thin material, such as paper, paperboard, cardboard, plastic film, metal foil, sheet metal and the like, by passing the web through the nip of a pair of rotary cutting dies having blades which sever or cut blanks and scrap portions from the web. Typically, as the cylinders rotate, a piece of scrap material is pierced by a pin fixed to one of the cylinders for rotation therewith. After the scrap piece is carried away from the cutting area by the pin and its associated rotating cylinder, the scrap piece is removed by cooperation with a stripper plate or comb which passes between the leading edge of the scrap piece and the cylinder. The scrap piece is removed from the pin as it passes through a slot between adjacent teeth of the comb. Such prior art scrap removers are disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,295,842 and 4,561,334.
A different stripping comb must be made and used with each cutting die producing blanks or scrap pieces of different shape or location in the web. Considerable time and expense is required to install, align and set up a different comb each time a different rotary die is used in a rotary die cutting machine.